Ghost in the machine
by SilverFalcon4
Summary: Just because no one else can see it doesn't make you crazy


Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids. I own Kyra, but that's about it.

This is my first fan-fic, so be kind.

~*~

A black zoid crept silently through the dark forest. It would be nearly invisible to any observers, except for the occasional flashes of yellow on its legs and head. It was just after dusk but there were still are few streaks of red painted across the darkening sky, creating an aerie glow in the clouds of fog that weaved their way around the ancient trees, licking at the feet of the zoid, threatening to pull it into the shadows. It seemed that only the zoid's quick steps saved it from the terrible fate that lay just beyond it's sensors. This didn't seem to at all faze the zoid's pilot, who continued calmly along the overgrown path. Broad tree roots, covered in decades of thick moss, had claimed back most of it, and in other places ferns and other ground plants had taken over. It was hard to tell a path had ever existed here. Only the gaps between the towering trees' trunks gave any indication of where to go. No one had walked this path in years, that much was certain. 

As they journeyed further in to the forest, the trees over head seemed to became thicker, and more dense, as they blocked more and more of the moon's iridescent light, creating shadows within shadows, and soon enough wherever the pilot looked he could only see darkness. After about an hour of following the path they came to a small clearing. The pilot brought the zoid to a halt, just at the edge. At the centre of the clearing was a still lake, its surface like a mirror, perfectly reflecting the silver moon light that shone down from high above. The zoid cautiously stepped forward, moon light washing over it and lighting up the interior of the cockpit with a warm glow. The moon had almost reached the peak of its arc as it crossed the sky, and judging by the position of the stars it was nearing midnight. The pilot glanced down at the comm system, and thought of calling the base to assure them that he wasn't dead, or in any other kind of danger. But given the time, he knew they wouldn't appreciate his call. It didn't matter that he had left well before dawn, you just didn't wake them up in the middle of the night without a hell of a good reason.

The zoid's cockpit hatch opened and the pilot jumped down to the ground. He walked over to the lake, and pulled out a small canteen. He crouched down on the lake edge and proceeded to fill it with water. As he stood again a small gust of wind blew through the clearing, ruffling his long brown hair, and carried with it a strange sound. Something that sounded very much like a howl. He listened closely, and there it was again, it was definitely a howl. But that was impossible, animals were rare on Zi, and even more rare in this area. But this was an ancient forest, anything could be living here, undisturbed by humans for centuries. The first howl was then followed by a few, more distinct howls. He listened again, they were closer this time. And they sounded very much like wolves. He knew this because his old zoid had been a Command Wolf.

For some reason he felt compelled to follow the howls, to find the owners of them. He didn't really know why, he just had to. Maybe there he would find some peace there. 

For the last few weeks he had been feeling restless, as though something was missing. He wasn't to sure why, but had thought a long run in his zoid would fix that. But it hadn't, well not completely anyway, and there was something in those howls that seemed to be calling him, to join them, to run the secret forest paths with them. He smiled, and climbed back up in the zoid's cockpit, then headed in direction of the howls.

Light had started to filter through the forest canopy. At first it had hurt his eyes, after being in the darkness for so long, but he was slowly getting used to it. He had followed those howls for hours, but whenever he had been close, the sound would seen further away. He was starting to become frustrated, he couldn't even find any tracks to follow. 

The forest ahead of him had started to thin out, until the trees disappeared altogether, and so did the land. The zoid stopped just inches from the edge. Below him was about a hundred foot drop, down to an endless expanse of dark water. It sparkled slightly in the places between the choppy waves that the slowly rising sun could reach. Looking back into the forest behind him, he saw that the sunlight had transformed it into a thing of pure beauty, all of the darkness and gloom that had existed there before was now gone. He grabbed his water canteen and jumped down from the zoid. He stumbled as he landed, which made him realise just how tired he really was. He hadn't slept in the last 24 hours, and the only thing he'd had to eat was his usual cup of coffee. He opened the lid on the canteen and took a sip of the water he had collected earlier. He felt its coolness flow down his dry throat. But as soon as he had drank it, a wave of dizziness swept over him, and his vision became to blur. He stubbled back towards his zoid. As he reached it he heard the howls again. He gazed over towards the forest, falling to his knees as he did so. Through his ever blurring vision he saw a fuzzy grey shape. A wolf he was sure of it. It was standing there, just starring at him as he slipped into darkness.

~*~

A/N: A bit of a cliff-hanger eh, so what do ya think?


End file.
